The Church of Wilco

Not really. Or certainly not church in a traditional sense. But there were some interesting elements.

But to back up. Streak's other Friend and I attended the Wilco concert last night. Doors opened at 7, the warmup band (called "Healthy White Baby," I kid you not) started playing at 8 and Wilco played from about 9:15 to about 11:35 or so. And there were no chairs. None. Little tired today.

Wilco was fantastic! What an amazing show. Good art is fun to watch and these guys are great musicians and great artists.

But during the show, I was reminded of church. And I thought, here in this concert hall, we had the best and worst elements of church (especially the modern church), with the exception of the wafting scent of marijuana and the drunk dancing guy next to me.

The Bad.

The other people. Or at least some of the other people. The aforementioned drunk guy was really annoying, but he kind of crashed early after calling his friends on his cell phone to say something like, "Man, Wilco is playing Hummingbird. HUMMINGBIRD! LISTEN!" After the fourth time, it was not funny. He also insisted on playing air-guitar (aggressively). I never realized how much that looks like someone self-pleasuring (out of the corner of your eye).

No real comparable church setting to Drunk Cell Phone Guy. But along with him were numerous people who didn't understand when to yell (or say "amen") and there was a lot of arm waving and fist pumping--the equivalent of the hand waving. (Am I the only one who thought that the first time they saw someone put their hand up in a church setting that they were asking a question? Like they wanted the singer/preacher to stop and explain why God had created bad praise music?)

There was this one big guy. Young, white, and with huge arms. He reminded me of what my friend J in high school used to mock as the "Jock Dancer." He would do this great imitation of the beefy football player "dancing." It included the mouth of great concentration, and then a series of flexing motions that were supposed to double as both dance moves and to show off the "guns."

Anyway, back to my jock. He did the serious fist pumping when Wilco opened up, then did what was an incredibly bizarre pantomime when the band did "I am trying to break your heart." He would gesture to himself on the "I" and then do stuff I couldn't see and then have his giant arms outstretched in a touchdown-like motion for the "heart." I sighed a few times.

Then there was Strange Little Monkey Guy--wearing a Doors t-shirt and insisting on waving his hand with the "horns" shape in a Beavis and Butthead kind of way. At one point, I saw him doing that and jumping up and down. I think he was very high.

All of those kind of reminded me of the people who feel the need to express themselves in, say a church, with little regard for the people around them. They have a great sense of entitlement and often justify it on the basis that they are "glorifying God," so "what is your problem?"

I was one of those who caught myself looking disapprovingly at those who "Amen-ed" at the wrong time (or too often), thinking "they don't know how to act devout." There were many of us at the concert who looked on at the jumping, fist-pumping people with a certain disdain. I had to talk my self out of that kind of self-righteousness.

The Good.

And it was very good. Wilco worked in several theologically-themed songs, including "Theologians" (dedicated to the new Pope) and a really amazing song. Left me a little teary eyed at the end.
Theologians
That don't know nothing
About my soul
Oh they don't know

--snip--

Theologians

I'm going away
Where you will look for me
Where I'm going you cannot come

No one's ever gonna take my life from me
I lay it down

"Poor Places" reminded us all of the huge pain that exists around the world, and "Handshake Drugs" recalled the human failings of our own appetites and shortcomings. "Jesus, etc." was a painful reminder of the mixing of faith and politics in the modern era.

Music has always played a huge role in my life. I am very aware that I listen in ways that some of my friends don't. They listen for background music; for familiarity. They can either take music or leave it. I need it for sanity. It is one of my spiritual connections, and this concert touched on all of that. Those songs all touched me with great depth and feeling.

In the middle of all the jerks and obnoxious people, we found a community with people there for the same purpose. They were not there to get drunk or to be seen, but to enjoy the show. Likewise, there was an amazing shared sense when the band hit those familiar notes and we all sang out. It isn't the community that I want from a church, but it was still cool.

This post may not make as much sense to you as it does to me. Plus I am fatigued and my ears are still ringing a bit.
Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm